


The Demon Realms

by Ruunkur



Series: The Demon Realms [1]
Category: Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Genre: All the AU, Alternate Universe, so much AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-16 23:30:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13064448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruunkur/pseuds/Ruunkur
Summary: Set along side the human realm, lays the demon realms. Children that shows signs that they have unholy powers are cast aside into the territories. Six demon lords reign across the broken realms. The six demon lords offer only silence, never seeming to help those that land in their territories. Now, they must band together or risk the wrath of the Holy Church destroying them.





	The Demon Realms

**Author's Note:**

> This is so fucking AU, I don't even know what to call it. I am not sure where this idea came from, but I ran with it. I may actually expand on this at a later time. Enjoy!
> 
> Hikari is male, I don't know why. That's just how it got written.
> 
> The demon powers and appearances are based off the adult forms. Again, don't know why, that's just how it got written.
> 
> I spell checked, but didn't edit it.

"Who are you?"

You turn when you hear the words, watching your breath ghost in front of you. It's dark, darker than you are used to and you feel the cold pierce through your soul. You had wandered too far, and you may be paying for the mistake tonight.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" You counter, staring into the blazing eyes that seem to reflect fire that you cannot see.

"This is my territory, thus I should be asking you that question." The voice is strong and you feel your body shudder under the power of that voice. "But, I suppose I could humor you... I am Taichi."

_"I'm Taichi! Who are you?"_

_You glance towards the younger kid, hands shoved in your pockets and offer him a half shrug. "Yamato, what are you doing here?" You ask._

_"Waiting for my mom, you?" The kid asks, meeting your gaze. You're only a couple inches taller than him and you can hear him breathe as he moves closer to you._

_"I don't know..." You say, turning your gaze away from him. It hurt to keep his gaze for too long. "I guess I'm not really here for anything."_

_"Well, want to wait with me? Since you don't know why you're here?" Taichi asks, his eyes seeming to reflect a nonexistent fire when you look back at him. You nod, shuffling over to him and watch the sky as he talks, a soccer ball tucked underneath his arm._

"Taichi huh?" You ask, shoving your hands in the pockets of your jeans. You should be wearing something heavier, but you hadn't expected the cold to hit so suddenly. You shouldn't have left your home at all, but something had called to you. And you couldn't sit still, waiting for the nothingness to pass over. You had to do something, anything to get rid of your anxious energy.

You shouldn’t have left your pelt behind though.

"I gave you my name, who are you?" Taichi asks and he takes a step towards you. You see, in the faint light of the stars above, the glint of brown bone covering his face and you almost bristle at the sight. But you catch yourself, letting the emotions fade away. It would be no use, letting them get ahold of you now.

"I don't think you deserve my name," you respond, tilting your head to the left. You're just a few inches taller than him. You're sixteen, and alone, or at least you thought you were alone. You hadn't seen anyone like you in your territory. And you wonder, sometimes, if you should have shut the others out so easily. But this one, you knew even if he did not know you without your sign.

"Oh? Well, aren't you just full of yourself then." Taichi says and you cock an eyebrow.

"I am at least not wearing the skull of a dead animal." You retort and you see his hand clench in a fist. He's closer now, and it's getting easier to make out details in the dark. His eyes reflect the inner fire of his soul and you see his body tense as you shrug once more. To be at ease in another demon lord’s territory was unexpected, unmarked as you were.

"You have to blend in if you expect to survive." Taichi hisses and you turn on your heel, happy to return to your cave. You think the solitude is your punishment. You wished that solitude could comfort you as it had before.

_"Aren't your parents going to be worried about you?"_

_You glance at the boy that you had started a tentative friendship with and offer him a shrug. You had been waiting for nearly an hour now, and his mother hadn't turned up. He didn't seem all that concerned._

_"They know where I'm at." You lie. You're eight years old and you know that living in these lands means having to be able to defend yourself. You had watched your brother from afar, the past few nights. Your parents never even seemed to have noticed that you were gone. You were happier thinking that they didn't care. They were probably happier with the danger out of their lives._

_"You're lying," Taichi says and you glower at him._

_"How can you tell?" You demand, voice sharper than you had met it._

_Taichi taps his head, a grin spreading over his face. "I can tell when people are lying. It takes the courage to tell the truth ya know."_

_"Then where is your mother?" You counter, crossing your arms, refusing to look away. "Wasn't she supposed to pick you up?"_

_Taichi hesitates, his grin slowly disappearing at you sigh, letting your arms down and slumping your shoulders. "She doesn't come anymore," he says finally. "She left me here about a week ago, didn't say anything about coming back... I was hoping that she would be but..."_

_"I'm sorry," you say after a moment, unsure of what else to say. At least when your parents ditched you, they had the ability to tell you that they weren't coming back. You wouldn't have wanted to be left waiting like he had been._

_"It's fine! I guess it's stupid to hope that they would come back," Taichi says with a laugh. "Hey, wanna play soccer?" He holds the ball out to you and you nod in agreement._

"You don't have to blend in if you're strong enough to defend yourself." You shoot back, wondering why you're talking to him. Why had you come back here, after so long? You should have stayed home after all.

"Then why are you out here?" Taichi demands and you here the fire in his voice, the same fire that reflects in his eyes.

"I'm looking for someone," you say after a moment. It had been so many years. Both of you had changed and you don't intend on reminding him who you are. You take a step back as Taichi comes at you, his fist missing your face by inches. You throw up your hands, feeling the flames well up between your fingers.

Taichi flashes back a step, his own hands raised. "What name do you go by?" He demands.

You offer him half a smirk. "What will you give me if I offer you my name?" You demand back.

"I gave you my name," Taichi snaps and you tilt your head.

"Seems like a pretty unfair trade for you then." You decide.

"You should give me your name." Taichi comments.

"That wasn't the deal." You smirk, letting the flames grow in your hands before you aim near Taichi, sending the fire his way. It misses, but seeing his reaction is what you wanted. He shot to the side, faster than a normal person could see but you're already facing him, hands raised to cast more flames his way.

_"Why were you left here?"_

_The question comes when you two are sitting under a tree, watching the sun set. So far, you had been lucky and nothing stronger than you had come near. Yesterday, when you were by yourself, you had been nearly killed. Now, with Taichi by your side, you feel like the two of you are invincible._

_"I hurt my mother," you say finally, picking the words with care. "It was an accident, but... My brother was crying and I burned her. I thought she wanted to hurt him further."_

_"I see," Taichi says and you eye him from your position, turning your head ever so slightly._

_"What about you?"_

_"That wasn't the deal," Taichi says, sticking his tongue out. You raise an eyebrow, almost about to ask a question, but you understand. You knew the rule well that a deal was meant to be made before someone asked anyone a question._

_"I know," you sigh._

_"I don't actually know why my mom left me here." Taichi says finally. "Only that my father called me a monster. After... After my sister was born, I started being able to tell when people were lying. I pointed it out. Then...I set fire to my parents' home and mother left me here."_

_"I'm sorry," You say, turning your attention back to Taichi in wonder. "How long have you been here?"_

_"A couple weeks, you?" Taichi asks._

_"A year and a half." You grimace as you say. "It may be longer, but... Time gets funny here." You gesture, unsure what you meant when you said here._

_"I get it," Taichi stands, tucking his ball under his arm. "I'm going to my home. See you tomorrow?" He asks, holding out his hand to you._

_"Deal," you say, shaking his hand with a grin._

You step to the side when the fire strikes the ground, and you growl deep in your throat as Taichi glowers at you.

"Answer my question damn it," he snaps and more fire is sent your way. The red hot fire, different from your own blue flames.

"Funny, I think you already know the answer," you comment and you feel heat flash past your face. You suddenly turn, showing your back to Taichi and shoving your hands in your pockets. The teenager with the brown skull covering his face makes a noise of protest at your unprotected back.

"Just give me a straight answer damn it!" He snaps and you shrug, walking away.

It didn’t matter who you were or are, if he was unable to remember you. Though you feel the lose of the friendship weigh heavily on you. Demons weren’t meant to make friends, and you were surprised the two of you had managed it as long as you had in the past.

***

_"There is a place for demons like him," the voice is cold as you hide in the closet. You feel your body shudder. Your parents yelling about what you did. You didn't have control over it, it wasn't your fault. The fire had just happened._

_"Do you want to send our son to that god forsaken place?" Your mother shouts and you flinch, wishing you could hide deeper inside the house._

_"How else will we be safe?" The man snarls and you feel tears fall from your eyes. It wasn't meant to be like this. The flames were an accident. You didn't want these powers, they had just happened. Why didn't your parents understand that?_

_"He can be taught to control them!" The woman snaps and something smashes against the wall. In the other room, you hear your younger sibling sob at the sound of fighting. You want nothing more than to protect them from this._

_"I am taking him," your father sounds resolute and your body goes cold. You understand that there is a place people like...you disappear to. You had heard that it had happened to kids around your age in school. You had never expected it to be you. But, it is now._

_You heard that kids usually didn't survive._

You open your eyes, bringing a hand to your face and rubbing the tears away. It had been so long since you had that particular memory that you had almost forgotten the details of how you had ended up here.

You sit up, feeling a world weary ache in your bones. Eight years of living on the outside. Nine years of honing your abilities. Nine years of being a freak that society chose to abandoned. Six years since-

"Yamato?"

You twist, standing up straight and preparing the flames without thought. You hadn't felt anyone cross into your territory. The thought chills you, making you wonder if you were losing your grip on it.

"What the hell?" You demand, stepping towards the figure. "Who the hell are you?"

The intruder holds up his hands, slowly backing away from you. "I am sorry, I am looking for Ishida Yamato."

You stiffen at the use of the last name, the flames crackling hotter in your hands. It had been a long time since you had heard it. "Who are you?" You demand, glad you were going out. The white pelt with blue stripes hides your face and covers the scars on your arms. It gives you extra protection, everything you need for the younger teenager standing in your home.

"My friend and I have been looking for you." The teenager says though he doesn't step any further into your home. You can see right where your ward starts and he's standing at the very edge of it, his hand raised as if he wants to take another step but can't.

"How do you know my name?" You demand, keeping your voice even. If there were any hint of desperation, you would have been killed long ago. You had learned how to survive in the demon realms. The initial anger, the initial fear, would have gotten you killed if this demon meant to attack you for your territory.

"Hikari," the young man says, clearing his throat. "My friend wants to meet you."

"And who is your friend?" You growl, eyes narrowing. The lights in your home brighten under your command and you can take a better look at your unexpected guess. His hair is cut haphazardly and his back is stiff. Wings hang limply from his back, and you see his shirt doesn't fit correctly. And his voice...

It sends shivers down your spine that you can't explain.

"Takeru," the teenager says, taking a step back from your doorway. "I apologize for entering your territory uninvited," he adds. "I was unsure how to get your attention otherwise."

"What manner of demon are you?" You ask. There were few questions that you in these realms would answer without hesitation. It had taken you nearly three months your first year here to learn those.

"Angelic," the teenager says with a flutter of wings. "Fallen, but angelic."

"You can still hide," you realize, watching him.

"Yes, but it gets harder every passing year. The humans, they don't understand us, they fear our kind." The teenager gestures and you get a glimpse of a bow hanging from his back, nestled amongst the wings.

"How do you know my name?" You ask, another question that demons were usually willing to answer.

"My partner Takaishi Takeru is seeking his sibling," Hikari explains. "I also seek my sibling, that was cast out before I really could understand what was happening." His hands move as he speaks and you hesitate.

A fallen angelic demon, hardly something that was common. A demon, with angelic power, something that would send stronger people scrambling to run. But yet...

"Why are you searching for us?" You demand.

"There is a...terror on this world that we must band together and fight. Takeru and I seek six in total. But, first we seek siblings that were gone before we understood." Hikari says and you see him spread his wings. "Yamato, bearer of the power of Garurumon, will you join me?"

"And which demon do you bear?" You retort, feeling your soul shudder under the power in his voice. So young, yet so sure of himself.

"Angewomon," Hikari says, dropping his hands. "Long before she fell, she offered her power to those that would help the fallen. And so, I fight against those that wish to cast children aside for something they cannot control."

"And the demon Takeru bears?" You ask, hearing your voice hitch. Your younger brother, the one that you watched over for years. The one that you had nearly harmed before you were old enough to understand. He couldn't have been more than four or five, you can hardly remember.

"That's not my information to give." Hikari comments, a biting chill in his words.

"You're a guy?" You ask.

"Why is it always a question of gender?" Hikari mutters and you lower your hands, letting the fire fade away before shoving them in your pockets.

"Okay.... That doesn't answer the question." You say.

"We don't have a deal. I gave answers to the questions that are common law to answer. But... Answer me this and I will answer you in turn. Will you come with me?" Hikari inquires.

"Sure, I got nothing to lose." You decide with a shrug. If it was a trick, you were more than able to get away.

"Then yes, I am male, despite my demon being female." Hikari answers and you glance at him. "We shall leave now,"

You tug at the sleeves of the pelt, debating before nodding. "Then we'll go," you say and Hikari extends a hand. You feel your wards shudder and you quickly walk over to him, unwilling to abandon your home.

***

"His territory is this way," you say. You glance at Hikari over your shoulder, watching him eye the lands around you.

"How has Taichi been?" Hikari asks and you hear longing in his voice.

"Good, I suppose." It occurs to you now that you and Taichi had never discussed what demon you each bore. You wonder now, after all this time, if he would be willing to tell you. The easy friendship you had first formed quickly was destroyed when you grew older, learned more of the world that you had been thrust into. It chilled your soul, when you consider what you had lost over such a silly argument.

"It feels different here,"

You glance at Hikari, taking a moment to adjust your senses. It did indeed feel different, stepping into Taichi's territory. It was warmer than your own, and you could hear the birds call out to each other. Your territory is silent as a winter's morning and you miss it.

"Taichi!"

You wince when you hear Hikari's voice echo. You want to hush him, you want to beg him to be silent. You didn't survive this long by being loud, by acting like friends to the others.

"Hikari!"

You freeze when you hear the returning call and you tug the face of the pelt down to cover your face, using the eye holes to see. You see another winged being settle down, face grim and a half metal helm covering his face. When you look back at Hikari, you see his own face covered by a half metal helm as well.

"Well met Takeru," Hikari says, offering a small nod to the winged teenager.

"You found the bearer of Garurumon," Takeru says, turning to look at you, though you don't understand how he could look at you through the metal. You still feel like eyes are piercing your soul.

"Stop that," you snap, feeling the flames form between your hands and you watch Takeru recoil from you as if you had attacked him.

"I apologize," he says, turning his head so it no longer feels like he is staring into your soul. "Hikari?" He says, holding out his hand. You see in his other he has a staff and you are relieved to know that both the teenagers are armed.

"Right," he says, clasping Takeru's hand in his own.

"What demon do you bear?" You ask, question directed at Takeru.

He glances at you, before nodding. "Angemon," he says with a bow. "An angelic being that has fallen,"

"Who else are we looking for?" You ask, shoving your hands in your pockets as the two demons next to you move forward as one.

"TAICHI!"

The shout runs electricity through you. You want to fall to your knees under the power and you could only imagine what Taichi must be feeling, to be summoned so rudely within his own territory. You could hear something underneath the calling that you knew would rip into him until he came.

You tilt your head, raising your hands and clasping them over your ears. You're grateful that Hikari decided to use the door instead of calling you as they had done for him.

You stay in the relative quiet, listening to Hikari and Takeru move beside you. You managed to not fall to your knees, though it was a close thing.

"We are looking for four more," Hikari speaks and it takes you a moment to realize that he is addressing you.

"The bearer of Togemon, Ikkakumon, Birdramon, and Kabuterimon." Takeru supplies.

"And what do you hope to gain by joining us six together?" You demand, voice on edge.

"Eight," Hikari corrects quietly. "Takeru and I will be there with you, every step of the way."

"What about your life in the human world?" You ask. The two teenagers exchange glances and you see the slump of Hikari's shoulders.

"It is something we regret, but we cannot return now." Takeru explains without explaining what he means. You turn when you hear the sound of feet hitting ground and you tense, feeling the familiar lick of flames on your hands.

"HIKARI!"

You wince under the weight of the shout and you see Taichi rush down the hill, skidding to a halt in front of the younger teenagers and pulling Hikari into his arms. The skull was fixed on his face and you look away, feeling like you are intruding.

"What are you doing here?" He demands, taking a step back to fully take in the form of his sibling. "What...no," he whispers, shaking his head. "You were supposed to be normal, have a normal life. What the hell?"

Hikari offers him a sad smile, wings fluttering behind him. "There is no normal for us Taichi," he whispers.

You cross your arms, feeling a hand ghost over your shoulder. "Yamato?"

You turn, looking at Takeru and shaking your head. "Sorry, I don't have many memories of you." It's a lie, but you don't want him to know how much you thought you were protecting him once your parents got rid of you. You had watched him, after you earned your territory and you had figured out what you were meant to do. You had watched him grow up, but hadn't been able to see him in the last year. Now, it pained you to see him here.

"That's a lie," Takeru says softly and you take a further step away from he two siblings in front of you.

"Does it matter?" You ask finally, realizing that Takeru was going to follow you no matter where you went.

"I missed you, you know." He says finally. "I wanted to talk to you, I could always feel you watching me. Will you turn away from me now, when I need you the most?" He asks and you feel a pain enter your soul.

"No," you say finally. "I...watched you grow up," you say finally. "I missed you, every single second I was away. I'm proud, and upset that you are here."

"We are here to help," Takeru says with a wave of his hand. Your eyes return to the siblings across the way, Hikari's half helm removed so Taichi could see his eyes. You look away, feeling a cold enter your heart.

"What are we meant to do?" Taichi says, turning to look at you and Takeru.

"We are going to bring eight powerful demons together, and we are going to unite the broken lands." Takeru says, his voice confident. "We and humans can live, side by side, but not until we are united."

"You're crazy," Taichi says, turning your attention back to him. He has a stubborn look in his eyes and you want to argue. "The demon lords argue amongst themselves. It is impossible."

"The fallen angelic walk once more, it is possible." Hikari says, half helm returned to his face. "Anything is possible, if we put hope in it."

"We can at least try," you admit finally. You knew of the six broken territories, hanging in balance. The lords, of which you and Taichi were technically part of, fought amongst themselves. It was one of the reasons it was so easy to push children that showed signs out into these lands.

"You would have go give them something to unite against." Taichi argues, arms over his chest.

"There is a council of four that wishes to rid the world of demons." Hikari says. "They are led by beings that claim to be of the angelic realms. This is not true, for they too hold demonic powers. They have the backing of the church. They will ride through the demon lands, and rid you all of your homes if you do not fight."

"And what demons bear them?" You ask.

"Stingmon, XV-mon, Aquilamon, and Ankylomon." Takeru says. "We once sat with them as friends. Do you know where the other four lords sit?"

"Yes," you say and you feel Taichi's gaze on yours.

"Yamato?" He asks, finally recognizing you and you place your face in your hands, unable to help the defeated sigh that comes out of you.

***

The mountain winds back and forth, and you see Taichi lagging behind. Hikari and Takeru are following you. You feel sweat trickle down your back. Finally ou hold up a hand, turning. "We are in the Territory of the Demon Lord Birdramon. I suggest that we wait here for her, or we may be cooked meat."

"Are we far enough in for her to notice us?" Taichi asks, flopping down near your feet. You settle next to him, resting your back against the mountain and pulling out your harmonica.

"Yes," you say and the two younger sit in front of you. Birdramon's territory was the closest and so you had settled on going there first. "Tell us more about the four demons parading as holy."

"They are older than you, all eighteen. They grew up in the church, and when their powers...manifested, the church decreed it a holy time. And so they were given power that others would never have given a demon child. We were friends, but that changed them." Takeru's voice is soft and you wonder what he had lost.

You are about to say something when there is a surge of heat and you almost pull your pelt off. The heat makes your stomach roll and you see Taichi flinch.

"What are you doing in my territory?"

You glance around, searching for the speaker before standing. "We seek an audience with Birdramon," you call. The four demon lords were known across the territories. You and Taichi were newer, younger, less experienced, and thus you fought to keep your territories from others. You and he had fought your way to the territories' leaders and killed them. You hoped they would be safe while you were gone.

"You seek an audience, how cute." The bird laughed and you see the flames settle, and watch the woman walk towards you. Her wings stretch behind her, wisps of flames coming off them with every step. "What do I have to offer you? You have your own territories to look after, pathetic as they may be."

"Great Birdramon, we seek to speak with you." Hikari says, stepping in front of you. You see Takeru mirror his stance, his body shielding Taichi.

"What do you want from me?" Birdramon demands and you stare, mesmerized by her wings. You had met the other territory leaders once before, when you came into your own territory. It had been a brief meeting, and you hadn't wanted to really see them again.

"The humans have four demons claiming to be holy. They wish to take the broken territories and eradicate the demons." Takeru says and you watch your brother, amazed at how strong he has become.

"And why should this be an issue for me to handle?" Birdramon asks, voice defiant.

"If we do not stand together now, we will fall by ourselves later." You speak up, stepping in between Takeru and Hikari. You see the demonic angels glance your way and you ignore their unasked questions.

"I will think on it," Birdramon says and vanishes up into the air, disappearing without a trace. You grimace and the four of you move on, keeping to the edges of her territory to reach your next destination.

***

It's colder here, but the water is warm to the touch. You wonder at this, as you see icebergs move past you. You see Taichi grumble something under his breath and you're glad for your pelt. You pull it tighter around you, wishing you could ask Takeru the questions that are eating away at you.

"Is this Ikkakumon's territory?" Hikari asks and you glance at him.

"Yeah, it's his alright," Taichi grumbles. "Cold, and covered in ice."

"Yes,"

You freeze in place when you hear the voice and see the horned man step forward, his pelt wrapped comfortably around him.

"Hello Ikkakumon," Taichi says, waving at him.

"Greymon," the man says warily. "What do I owe this visit for...now?" He asks.

Hikari steps forward, clearing his throat. "The humans have four demons claiming to be holy. They wish to take the broken territories and eradicate the demons."

"I see," Ikkakumon says, pondering over the information and watching you four. "I will lend a helping hand. Come, I will lead you safely out of my territory and onto Kabuterimon's territory. This way," he beckons you and you walk on.

***

The lightning lashes around you and you sigh, leaning against the wall.

"How long are we going to be stuck here?" Hikari grumbles and Ikkakumon merely shrugs.

"Until Kabuterimon understands that we are not a threat." He says, glaze flashing upwards. He closes his eyes once more, settling into his meditative state.

Hikari sighs, slumping down and you rub your head. It's been a long day and you want to curl up to sleep.

"There,"

You open your eyes, wondering when you did fall asleep as the lightning fades away.

"What do you want Ikkakumon?"

"Kabuterimon, thank you for taking the time to see us."

Your gaze darts to the boy, insect wings fluttering behind him. A long horn moves upward on his head and you shake your head, watching the electricity play off his horn.

"The humans have four demons claiming to be holy. They wish to take the broken territories and eradicate the demons." Hikari says, wasting no time. Kabuterimon regards him for a moment, gaze swinging back to Ikkakumon.

"Are you helping them?" He asks.

"Yes," Ikkakumon says simply. "If we unite the six territories, we will be stronger."

"And the other two?"

"Birdramon has neither accepted or denied, we are still hoping she will join. As you can see, Greymon and Garurumon agree already." Takeru says.

"I will think on it, and let you know my decision. For now, it would be wise if you leave or you may be trapped by the electric currents once more." Kabuterimon warns and is gone before you can say anything.

You feel your heart sink, thinking it was a waste.

***

It's several days before you happen upon Togemon's territory. You had cut back through Ikkakumon's territory, the demon lord agreeing that he would meet you at the beginning of the new moon. You hope that he would hold true to his word.

Takeru is trudging next to you, wings fluttering every once in awhile.

"What's wrong?" You ask, letting your gaze slide to him.

"It is disheartening," he says after a moment and you see Hikari pause in front of you. Takeru shakes his head when he looks back and Taichi catches Hikari's attention once more.

"I see," you say finally. "I think they will pull through." You say and you see Takeru offer you a small smile.

"The four we fight, they have bonds that will hold them above all else. It was discussed, once, that the six of us could claim the six demon territories and unite them. Attack the humans and gain their lands for the children that were tossed away. This was discussed under the nose of the church and we disagreed. We cannot welcome another split among the demon territories. It will shatter this world." Takeru whispers.

"I see," you say once more.

"I don't think you do, but thank you." Takeru says, his hand ghosting across your shoulder before he walks ahead. Taichi knows his way to Togemon's territory.

It's growing more and more lush, the further you walk on. You raise your face to the sky, enjoying the warmth. And you nearly yelp when you feel needles fly just past your face.

"Greymon, what are you doing here?"

You're dizzy, and suddenly you're watching the world upside down, your ankle ensnared in a hunter's noose.

"Togemon, we come to talk to you!" Taichi says and you grimace, feeling the pressure on your ankle. If you were lucky, it wasn't broken.

"What?" The voice is closer and you blink, watching the woman walk into view. Her skin is green, and you see needles in her hands, as if she is prepared to attack. Taichi waves and she turns to him.

"There is an issue," Taichi says, and the three of them explain quickly while you hang upside down.

"Very well," Togemon says and her gaze flashes to you. "I will let him down as well." You suddenly come crashing down and Takeru flashes next to you. He hesitates, touching your shoulder gently.

"You okay?" He asks.

"I'm fine," you say, standing up and testing your ankle to see if it would hold your weight. Your glad when it does.

"We meet at the new moon," Takeru says and that's where you split.

***

It's quiet when you and Takeru reach the agreed upon spot. You feel eyes on you, and across the way, you can see the four that Takeru had described in detail. Your stomach flips. It's an hour away from midnight yet, but you can see the gathered holy church beyond. It hurts to think that those that were cast out would be killed.

You relax when Ikkakumon appears, his face grim. Togemon comes next, Taichi and Hikari joining them. It's moments before midnight when you hear the sound of wings, Kabuterimon landing silently. And beyond, you see the flash of fire before Birdramon joins you.

"Angemon, Angewomon, would you turn your backs on the church?" Someone calls and the eight of you look across the way. The four imposters stride forward, their energy crackling for all of you to see.

"There is no hope for us if we do not band together." Takeru says, voice ringing clear. "The territories were here long before the humans decided we were evil! You are no different from us, Stingmon, XV-mon."

"The demons are corrupt!" Aquilamon shouts and you can't make her out.

"This ends now," Ikkakumon murmurs. "I have seen countless years, as a lord of a territory. Humans have never offered us peace. We will strike, together."

"We bind ourselves together, to protect the lands that the humans drove us into!" Kabuterimon agrees and you hear the others agree as well, your voice joining in.

And then the clock strikes midnight and the four demons rush forward to meet the eight of you. Your heart jumps to your throat and you meet them in battle, feeling the air around you shatter.


End file.
